“Craft Is Now Secondary. Visibility Is Everything.” – Srushti Mishra On The Harsh Truth Of Today’s Industry

The Ram Bhavan actress gets brutally honest about body image, beauty standards, and why acting alone isn't enough anymore.

In an industry increasingly driven by appearance and algorithms, actress Srushti Mishra-last seen in Rahul Kumar Tewary and Rolling Tales' show Ram Bhavan-lays it all bare. "Craft has become secondary. Visibility is everything. That's the reality today," she states.

The actress doesn't mince words about how the focus has shifted from talent to image. "Actors today are judged more on how they look than what they can do. Even influencers are landing projects purely based on social media presence-their fashion sense, their followers, their reels."

For someone trained in her craft, it's a tough pill to swallow. "Earlier the focus was on polishing your skills. Now you have to constantly work on your skin, your hair, your styling, your diction-and your Instagram reach."

But the pressure doesn't stop there. Srushti opens up about the toll of maintaining impossible beauty standards. "I've been trolled for being too skinny. People say, 'Your bones are visible.' Earlier these were compliments. Now they're taunts. I've been told to 'put on weight' because I look like a skeleton."

She adds, "It's not just women. Men go through this too. The pressure to have a perfect body or a certain height is constant-especially if you're in front of the camera."

Despite the criticism, she's trying to keep her focus where it truly matters. "Sometimes you're emotionally low, but the character you're playing is full of joy. You have to perform regardless. That's the emotional challenge people rarely talk about."

But perhaps the biggest hurdle, she says, is staying relevant in the eyes of the internet. "The biggest challenge right now is visibility. Social media metrics have become the new benchmark for success. You need to post, maintain reach, look a certain way-all while staying true to your craft."